Police have seized a list containing mobile numbers of 40 people on it, including ministers, from Brajesh Thakur

The Pratah Kamal newspaper office in Muzaffarpur. The shelter home for girls is in the same compound. (Photo: Ranjan Rahi)

After interrogating Rahul Anand for more than 10 hours, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday released him. Rahul is the son of Brajesh Thakur, the prime accused in the Muzaffarpur shelter home rape cases.

On Saturday, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abhay Kumar, who is leading the CBI probe, reached the shelter home along with Rahul and thoroughly searched the premises.

On the other hand, police officials who were carrying out checks in prisons across Bihar were surprised when they found Brajesh Thakur relaxing inside the prison. They reportedly have seized a list containing names and mobile numbers of 40 people on it, including ministers and who's who in Bihar.

Politics in Bihar has taken many turns ever since the shocking cases of sexual abuse of 34 minor girls in the shelter homes run by Thakur were known to public.

HERE ARE 10 DEVELOPMENTS SO FAR

1) Rahul Anand is under the CBI's scanner because his father, Brajesh Thakur, had handed over the controls of Hindi daily 'Pratah Kamal'to him. Thakur's papers continued receiving government advertisement despite allegations of sexual abuse at the shelter homes run by him.

2) Rahul was detained by the CBI and taken for interrogation on Saturday.

3) During the raid on the shelter home, CBI officials reportedly seized several files and other documents as evidence.

4) Initially, the Nitish Kumar government showed reluctance in acting against Thakur. However, faced with increasing media scrutiny and pressure from the Opposition, the state government was forced to hand over the investigation to the CBI.

5) Brajesh Thakur was arrested on June 2 but has spent most of the time since then in the jail hospital on account of suffering from chest pain. However, he was recently shifted to the Muzaffarpur Central Jail.

6) Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had maintained silence on the case for days. When he finally spoke about it, he said he is shocked and ashamed to know about it. He rather chose to blame the 'system'.

7) The CM also remained silent on the role of Bihar's social welfare minister Manju Verma, whose role in the shelter house rapes is under the scanner as she overlooked complaints of sexual abuse.

8) The minister, later, resigned alleging the Opposition of weaving a conspiracy against her.

9) Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the principal opposition party in the state, has been staging statewide protests against Nitish Kumar. The party also staged a protest at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar, demanding Nitish Kumar's resignation.

10) The protest at Jantar Mantar was attended by leaders from opposition parties like the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party and the CPI(M).